Wallace J. Gingerich

Methodological observations on applied behavioral science.

Policy makers and administrators have become frustrated with single-subject designs because these designs appear unable, at first blush, to provide them with essential information that they can use in planning or change at the organizational or institutional level of management. Practitioners have become frustrated with prior exclusive reliance on traditional group experimental designs because they fail to provide useful information for conducting therapy or delivering services. The following article by Professor Gingerich makes a large and important contribution toward mitigating these two apparently divergent needs. Gingerich describes how meta-analysis can provide useful information for managers through aggregations of data obtained from single-subject, time-series designs. The article also discusses the use of meta-analysis of time-series data as a basis for improving the quality of scientific investigations.

Practice Evaluation in the Context of Managed Care: Case-Recording Methods for Quality Assurance Reviews:

This article discusses the practice evaluation model in the context of quality assurance reviews in managed care. Managed care demands the three essential elements of practice evaluation; namely, specified client problems and treatment goals, suitable measurements, and analysis of change. The article delineates and demonstrates two case-recording procedures that facilitate quality assurance reviews of clinical social work practice.

Leadership Characteristics: Views of Indian and Non-Indian Students

The findings of a study of the attitudes that American Indian and non-Indian students have about leadership indicate that the Indian students see leadership roles very differently than the non-Indians. The Indian students believe that the kind of person a leader is is more important than skills or knowledge.

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy

Addressing both researchers and practitioners, a distinguished cast of international, interdisciplinary contributors review the current state of research on SFBT interventions and illustrate its applications--both proven and promising--with a diverse variety of populations, including domestic violence offenders, troubled and runaway youth, students, adults with substance abuse problems, and clients with schizophrenia.

How Helpful are Helplines? A Survey of Callers

The authors report the findings of a follow-up survey of callers to an anonymous telephone hotline. Nine of ten respondents felt they had been helped. Approximately half said their problem was less severe at follow-up. The authors offer suggestions for further research.

Name-Calling in Social Work

This study replicates an earlier investigation of the impact of professional social work training on the use of labels to describe clients. It was found that subjects had a consistent tendency to use negative labels when describing a role-played client. Unlike the original study in which the use of negative labels increased with the level of professional training, it appears that the practice orientation of the subject has more effect. Behaviorally oriented subjects are the least negative in their labeling.

Expert Systems and Their Potential Uses in Social Work

Expert systems are computer programs that embody the expertise of human experts in order to consult on real World problems. Although the technology is still somewhat new and evolving, it appears that expert systems could be used in social services in the following ways: (1) to make expertise on important problems more widely available, (2) to train practitioners in new intervention methods, (3) to enhance the consistency with which interventions are applied, (4) to mine and refine practice wisdom, and (5) to develop and test practice theory. Legal and professional issues pertaining to how expert systems should be used in practice are still unresolved, and the impact of expert systems use on practice needs to be systematically evaluated.

Book Reviews : Blythe, B. J., & Tripodi, T. Measurement in Direct Practice (Sage Human Services Guide 59). Newbury Park, CA: Sage, 1989. 159 pp

In the past twenty years a great deal of effort has been devoted to integrating social work practice and research. The goal still seems elusive, however. Surveys and anecdotal reports suggest that most practitioners still do not incorporate research methods and techniques in their practice, and many do not find the idea particularly compelling or relevant. Professors Blythe and Tripodi believe, nevertheless, that it is both possible and desirable to integrate research and practice. The approach they take in their new book is to show how measurement theory and techniques can be applied

Insoo Kim Berg: July 25, 1934—January 10, 2007

Insoo Kim Berg, codeveloper of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) along with her husband and colleague Steve de Shazer, died unexpectedly on January 10, 2007, while relaxing in the steam room at her local health club. Insoo, as she was known professionally and personally, maintained her energy and passion for her work until the end, with many writing and training projects in process. She was on a mission to improve the quality and effectiveness of services to people the world over who were struggling with poverty, neglect, addiction, mental illness, and family violence. Insoo had an unshakable belief in the ability of people to overcome their difficulties, no matter how challenging, and to do what is best for themselves if given the opportunity. Few scholars or practitioners have had such a profound impact on the way social work is taught in our schools or practiced in our clinics. Insoo was born in South Korea and studied at Ewha Women’s University before coming to the United States, where she earned bachelor of science and master of science in social work degrees from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. She did postgraduate work at the Menninger Foundation, the Family Institute of Chicago, and the Mental Research Institute at Palo Alto. She began her clinical work at Family Service of Milwaukee but within a decade left to establish the Brief Family Therapy Center with her colleague Steve de Shazer. In their work over the next two decades, Insoo and Steve and a small group of colleagues went on to develop a brief, strengths-based, change-oriented approach to psychotherapy that came to be known as SFBT. Insoo’s role in the development of SFBT was mainly that of astute and gifted clinician, complementing de Shazer’s role as theoretician and trainer, consultant, and supervisor to those who wished to learn and adopt solution-focused techniques. However, she played an integral role in the evolution and testing of innovative techniques such as the miracle question and search for exceptions. She brought a uniquely effective and disarming strategic approach to dissemination and implementation of solution-focused innovations that in the early years were considered radical and even irresponsible. She never tired of the challenges one faces in putting new ideas to work, both with her clients and her professional colleagues, happily working long hours 7 days a week, including holidays. Insoo was best known in the social work and family therapy communities as a gifted trainer and tireless advocate for clients, particularly those most vulnerable and least advantaged among us. She was much sought after as a trainer and consultant throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia and was contracted by various governmental entities to help reform their child welfare practices. In addition to her full-time work as therapist, trainer, and consultant, Insoo authored or coauthored 11 books on a wide range of applications of SFBT, many articles, and video and audio recordings. Her book with Peter de Jong, Interviewing for Solutions, is used by many social work programs to help train new generations of social workers on strengths-based, client-affirming interview techniques. She served on numerous editorial boards. With her death, the field has lost a gifted and dedicated clinician, teacher, and writer who, with her colleague and partner Steve de Shazer, had a revolutionizing impact on how social workers approach their work.

The Wisconsin system for determining supplemental payments in foster care: A reliability study

Abstract In July of 1978 the State of Wisconsin implemented a new procedure for the determination of uniform foster care rates. The definitions and procedures used under the new policy are summarized in this brief note. Further, the findings of a study of the interrater reliability of the determination of the supplemental payment portion of the foster care rates are reported. The study found there was generally high accuracy and high interrater agreement among the rate-setters in determining the level of supplemental payment.